“PD Kim Tae-ho’s Show With 0% Viewer Ratings” Netflix-Induced Unprecedented Situation Causes Commotion

The crisis brought on by Netflix is becoming a reality for broadcast TV. As OTT becomes the mainstream, some variety shows are experiencing 0% viewer ratings

Particularly shocking is the 0% viewer rating for “My Name Is Gabriel”, a variety show produced by star PD Kim Tae-ho.

According to Nielsen Korea on July 21st, the fifth episode of “My Name Is Gabriel” (hereinafter referred to as “Gabriel”), which aired on July 19th, recorded a nationwide household rating of 0.9%.

This is a decrease from the previous episode’s rating of 1.4% and marks its lowest rating to date. “Gabriel” started at 1.5% on June 21st and has since remained in the 1% range. The show, which had been struggling to maintain over 1%, has now fallen into the 0% range.

“Gabriel” was highly anticipated even before its broadcast, being a work by star PD Kim Tae-ho. Moreover, it attracted attention with its stellar lineup including Yeom Hye-ran, Ji Chang-wook, Park Bo-gum and Dex.

The influence of Netflix and other OTT platforms is causing a significant decline in traditional broadcast content viewership. Fewer people are watching TV, and dramas with 0% viewer ratings are emerging. The dominance that TV networks had over variety shows and dramas is being taken over by OTT platforms.

Last year, the overall revenue of broadcast companies decreased for the first time in ten years, and advertising revenue hit its lowest point in a decade.

The crisis for paid TV services has already become a reality. The number of cable TV and satellite broadcast subscribers continues to decline. Even the growth rate of IPTV subscriptions, which had been relatively stable, has dropped to 0%. IPTV subscribers are also expected to decrease.

On the other hand, the number of OTT users is rapidly increasing. Notably, 97.8% of people in their 20s and 97.6% of teens are using OTT services.

According to a survey conducted by market research firm Consumer Insight on over 20,000 domestic paid TV users aged 19 and older, 37% of them are considering canceling their paid TV subscriptions to use OTT services instead. The most common reason given was that “there isn’t much worth watching on TV”.

Industry insiders are concerned that “the encroachment of OTT content could lead to a significant decline in the domestic broadcasting industry within a few years”.